The KITáB-I-AQDAS or AQDAS is the central book of the Bahá\'í
Faith written by Bahá\'u\'lláh , the founder of the religion, in
1873. The work was written in Arabic under the Arabic title
AL-KITāBU L-AQDAS (Arabic : الكتاب الأقدس‎‎), but it
is commonly referred to by its Persian title,
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas (Persian
: كتاب اقدس‎‎), which was given to the work by
Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh himself. It is sometimes also referred to as "the Most
Holy Book", "the Book of Laws" or the BOOK OF AQDAS. The word Aqdas
has a significance in many languages as the superlative form of a word
with its primary letters
Q-D-Š .

Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh had manuscript copies sent to Bahá'ís in Iran some
years after the revelation of the
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas in 1873, and in
1890–91 (1308 AH , 47 BE ) he arranged for the publication of the
original Arabic text of the book in Bombay, India.

The Aqdas is referred to as "the Mother-Book" of the Bahá'í
teachings, and the "Charter of the future world civilization". It is
not, however, only a 'book of laws': much of the content deals with
other matters, notably ethical exhortations and addresses to various
individuals, groups, and places. The Aqdas also discusses the
establishment of Bahá'í administrative institutions, Bahá'í
religious practices, mysticism, laws of personal status, criminal law,
spiritual and ethical exhortations, social principles, miscellaneous
laws and abrogations, and prophecies.

Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh stated that the observance of the laws that he
prescribed should be subject to "tact and wisdom", and that they do
not cause "disturbance and dissension."
Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh thus provided
for the progressive application of his laws; for example certain
Bahá'í laws are only applicable to Middle Eastern Bahá'ís such as
the limit to the period of engagement, while any Bahá'í may practice
the laws if they so decide.
Shoghi Effendi also stated that certain
other laws, such as criminal laws, that are dependent upon the
existence of a predominantly Bahá'í society would only be applicable
in a possible future Bahá'í society. He also stated that if the
laws were in conflict with the civil law of the country where a
Bahá'í lives the laws could not be practiced. Furthermore, some
laws and teachings are, according to Bahá'í teaching, not meant to
be applied at the present time and their application depends on
decisions by the
Universal House of Justice . Baha'is believe the
Aqdas supersedes and succeeds previous revelations such as the Quran
and the
BibleBible .

FORM AND STYLE

The text of the
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas consists of several hundred verses,
which have been grouped in 189 numbered paragraphs in the English
translation most of which are just a few sentences. The style
combines elements of both poetry (shi'r) and rhymed prose (saj') and
the text contains instances of literary devices like alliteration ,
assonance , repetition , onomatopoeia , juxtaposition and antithesis ,
metaphors , alternation of person and personification . Many of these
can be only imperfectly reproduced in English.

Regardless, the delivery results in brief and clear statements even
if the meanings can be complex. Rules and principles are interspersed
and guide interpretation, and authority and limits for authorized
interpretation are also specified. It defines a Bahá\'í
Administration as part of the Covenant of Bahá\'u\'lláh , and also
speaks to the individual reader, as there are no clergy in the
religion to rely on for guidance. The text also moves between
statements said to be plain and statements suggesting the key to
understanding the book is to look at the text for clues to itself.
Some statements reflect on the teachings in the religion on various
themes and underscore a relationship of the Aqdas as a 'motherhood' in
relation to all the other scriptural works and they to it. It also
relates to scriptures of other religions by abrogation, explanation,
affirmation or reformation — an example of progressive revelation as
a principle of the religion. While it is the core text on laws of the
religion, it is not the exclusive source of laws in the religion, nor
of Bahá'u'lláh's own writings, and complementarily the reader is
told explicitly to not view the text as a "mere code of laws".

The
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas was completed by
Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh in 1873. It was
published in the Arabic for circulation among Bahá'ís speaking the
language circa 1890. A Russian translation was undertaken by
Alexander Tumansky in 1899 and was his most important contribution to
Bahá'í studies. Around 1900 an informal English translation was
made by Bahá'í Anton Haddad, which circulated among the early
American Bahá'í community in a typewritten form. In 1961, an
English scholar of Arabic, Dr. Earl E. Elder, and William McElwee
Miller , an openly hostile Christian minister, published an English
translation, "Al-Kitab Al-Aqdas", through the
Royal Asiatic Society ,
however its translation of the notes section was problematic and
overall lacked "poetic sensibility, and skill in Arabic translation".
Indeed, Miller only ever used it to further his polemical agenda. In
1973 a "Synopsis and Codification" of the book was published in
English by the
Universal House of Justice , with 21 passages of the
Aqdas that had already been translated into English by Shoghi Effendi
with additional terse lists of laws and ordinances contained in the
book outside of any contextual prose. Finally, in 1992, a full and
authorized Bahá'í translation in English was published. This
version is used as the basis of translation into many other languages
highlighting the practice of an indirect translation and how the
purpose of the translation affects the act of translation. The
Bahá'í Library Online provides a side-by-side comparison of the
authorized translation with earlier translations of Anton Haddad and
Earl Elder.

* "Questions and Answers"', which consists of 107 questions
submitted to
Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh by Zaynu\'l-Muqarrabin concerning the
application of the laws and Bahá'u'lláh's replies to those questions
* "Some Texts Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh"
* Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances, prepared by
Shoghi Effendi
* explanatory notes prepared by the
Universal House of Justice

The book was divided into six main themes in the Synopsis and
Codification by Shoghi Effendi:

* The appointment of `Abdu\'l-Bahá as the successor of
Bahá'u'lláh
* Anticipation of the Institution of the Guardianship
* The Institution of the Universal House of Justice
* Laws, Ordinances and exhortations
* Specific admonitions, reproofs and warnings
* Miscellaneous subjects

Scholarly review finds the Aqdas has themes of laws of worship,
societal relations and administrative organization, or governance, of
the religion. It also has strong themes of internationalism and
addresses a need of humanity to mature - criticizing religious
hierarchies, emphasizing inter-religious dialogue and unity, and
international standards; things others at the time thought lacked
practical application and seemed only utopian in the era it was
published. The basics of the rules of successorship are set forth
with enough clarity that the religion has avoided significant schism.
Through the authority vested in `Abdu\'l-Bahá in the Aqdas there is
an expanse of internationalism related to the law in works like The
Secret of Divine Civilization and through his extended authority to
Shoghi Effendi works like his World Order of Bahá\'u\'lláh further
elaborates on the internationalism theme. This stands in some
distinction from other scriptures by not using triumphal tones as the
voice of God is given to be viewed but rather one of progressive
development, social context, and outright delay in application until
another day. Indeed, it insists that divine law is applicable only in
situations with requisite conditions, where it is likely to have
certain social effects. The goal of application of the law and its
methods are not to cause disturbance and dissension and requires an
appreciation for context and intention. Additionally one is to eschew
emphasis in the development of textualist and intentionalist arguments
about the law though some of this is visible in scholarship on the
Aqdas. Such methods of application of law in a religious context are
common in Islam and Judaism.

The Aqdas is understood by Bahá'ís to be a factor in the process of
ongoing developments in world order. This can be seen comparing the
Bahá'í approach to history and the future to that of the theory of
The Clash of Civilizations on the one hand and the development of a
posthegemony system on the other (compared with work of Robert Cox,
for example, in Approaches to World Order, (Robert Cox their
application depends on decisions by the Universal House of Justice.
See also Bahá\'í laws for laws in practice in Bahá'í communities.
In reference to the laws of his revelation Baha'u'llah writes in
paragraph 3 the following, "O ye peoples of the World! Know assuredly
that My commandments are the lamps of my loving providence among My
servants, and the keys of My mercy for My creatures. Thus hath it been
sent down from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, the Lord of
Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness of the words which the
lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he would, though the
treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce them one and
all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His
commandments, shining above the Dayspring of His bountiful care and
loving-kindness."

Administration

Main article: Bahá\'í administration

The institutional status of the authority of
`Abdu'l-Bahá and a
House of Justice are specifically delineated. On the basis of the
authority granted
`Abdu'l-Bahá he extended forms of the authority
vested in him to the Guardianship, whose sole member was Shoghi
Effendi, and the Universal, or International, House of Justice through
his Will and Testament . This was confirmed and amplified in other
texts, notably the Kitáb-i-`Ahd . The
Universal House of Justice is
specifically empowered to write and rescind any laws it is felt
necessary aside from those of the text of scripture and actual
application of the laws of the Aqdas among Bahá'ís are dependent on
the choice of the Universal House of Justice.

Prayer

Main article: Obligatory Bahá\'í prayers

Bahá'ís between 15 and 70 years of age are to perform a daily
obligatory prayer, and can choose daily from among three, all of which
are accompanied by specific rites, and preceded by ablutions . During
the obligatory prayer Bahá'ís face the
Qiblih , which is the Shrine
of Bahá\'u\'lláh in
Bahjí , Israel. People are exempt from the
obligatory prayers when ill, in danger, or women during their
menstrual cycles.

Congregational prayer is forbidden, except for the case of the Prayer
for the Dead.

The Bahá'í fast is observed from sunrise to sunset in the Bahá\'í
month of `Alá' from 2 March through 20 March. During this time
Bahá'ís in good health between the ages of 15 and 70 abstain from
eating and drinking. Exemptions to the fast are given to people who
are travelling, ill, pregnant, nursing, menstruating, or engaged in
heavy labour. Vowing to fast outside of the prescribed fasting period
is permissible, and encouraged when done for the benefit of mankind.

Laws Of Personal Status

Marriage And Divorce

Main article: Bahá\'í marriage

Baha'u'llah's statements about marriage in the
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas are
brief. Marriage is highly recommended but is stated to not be
obligatory.
Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh states that the maximum number of wives is
two, but also states that having only one wife would add more
tranquility to both partners. These statements were later interpreted
by `Abdu\'l-Bahá that having a second wife is conditional upon
treating both wives with justice and equality and was not possible in
practice, thus establishing monogamy.

That Bahá\'u\'lláh had three wives, while his religion teaches
monogamy, which has been the subject of criticism. The writing of the
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas and
Bahá'í teachings on gender equality and monogamy
post-date Bahá'u'lláh's marriages and are understood to be
evolutionary in nature, slowly leading Bahá'ís away from what had
been a deeply rooted cultural practice.

Bahá'ís need to be at least 15 years of age to get married, and the
consent of all living biological parents is needed to get married.
Marriage is also conditioned a payment of dowry by the husband to the
wife of approximately 70 grams (2.2 troy ounces) of gold or silver
dependent on the permanent residence of the husband. The
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas allows a man to marry two wives under the condition
that they be treated equally. Later,
`Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi
clarified that monogamy was the intent of the paragraph.

Divorce is permitted, although discouraged, and is granted after a
year of separation if the couple is unable to reconcile their
differences.

In the
Kitáb-i-AqdasKitáb-i-Aqdas it is stated that all Bahá'ís must write a
will . The other Bahá’í laws of inheritance in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas
apply only in case of intestacy , that is, when the individual dies
without leaving a will. The system of inheritance provides for
distribution of the deceased's estate among seven categories of heirs
: children, spouse, father, mother, brothers, sisters, and teachers
with higher categories obtaining a larger share. In cases where some
of the categories of heirs does not exist the share falls partly to
the children and the
Local Spiritual Assembly .